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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Polyphaga » Series Cucujiformia » Longhorn and Leaf Beetles (Chrysomeloidea) » Leaf Beetles (Chrysomelidae) » Tortoise Beetles and the Hispines (Cassidinae) » Tortoise Beetles (Cassidini)
Photo#628943
Parasitized tortoise beetle larva
Copyright © 2012 Carmen Champagne

Parasitized tortoise beetle larva
Just outside of Comer, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, USA
July 15, 2011
Found with several others and an adult Plagiometriona clavata on Carolina horsenettle. All of the larvae had this appearance. I assume they had been parasitized, but by what?
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Contributed by Carmen Champagne on 11 April, 2012 - 8:58pm

i see what youre seeing
they look dead and eaten hollowed out..has nothing to do with the frassy backs
… Edna Woodward, 14 April, 2012 - 12:20am login or register to post comments

Larvae…
I think this may be just their own excrement that they use to hide from predators. A chemical shield apparently. See an example here.
… Ross Hill, 11 April, 2012 - 10:44pm login or register to post comments

 
Yep, you're right about the shield.
I should have been more specific in my original description. I suspected parasitism because the larva appeared to be lifeless, discolored, maybe even a bit swollen. It reminded me of something like a caterpillar or aphid mummy.
… Carmen Champagne, 12 April, 2012 - 9:17am login or register to post comments

 
agree
not parasitism. They carry around their own feces as camoflouge, for lack of a better term at the moment.
… Blaine Mathison, 12 April, 2012 - 8:43am login or register to post comments

Not sure about the larva...
...but that's a nice little springtail next to it. :)
… Ken Wolgemuth, 11 April, 2012 - 10:09pm login or register to post comments

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